First night of football makes preseason pain worth it

Terry WilliamsonMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 4:06 pm, Wednesday, August 24, 2011

You may be a great football fan and never miss a game, but if you have never played high school football, there is no way you can understand what opening day means for these kids under the Friday night lights.

The first game means the end of two-a-day workouts, meaningless scrimmages, blocking your best friend all day and the daily grind that produces little seeable reward. August is simply brutal for football players. There are no crowds, no cheerleaders and no spiffy uniforms to wear. And it's hot. Really, really hot.

You're dirty, sweaty, hot and sore in August. The coach doesn't like you, the girlfriend doesn't understand why you are too tired to go out and mom and dad can't believe one human can eat so much grub.

You can't heal the blisters, and you have athlete's foot. You've wrapped your ankles so much you have no hair left on the lower part of your leg. Your equipment rarely fits all at the same time, and the locker room, well, smells like you've been playing football. Your mouth feels like cotton, and the heat inside that helmet makes you feel a bit like being in a furnance.

It's even worse when Papa Joe, that 260-pound linebacker, gives you a forearm to the face that makes your body shiver. You go home at night, lie down and watch a little TV. When you try to get up, your muscles ache. When you wake up the next morning, mom has to help get you out of bed because you are so sore. All the time she is screaming, "If it's that bad, why don't you just quit." Of course, you can't quit then.

Then comes opening day, and the world just feels better. The soreness is beginning to wane. People begin to recognize that you play football. People start talking about playing a real game. And you are really going to play against some strangers. You're probably not sure if that is a good or bad thing, but it's different and people are noticing.

Yes, opening night is here, and that one night makes August completely worth it. So let's get it on. The hard part is already over.

So, with a clean slate and a fresh start in the District 3-5A Pickin' Game, here's how this weekend's games will go down.

Midland Lee 32, El Paso Montwood 14: Montwood's days at the top of District 1-5A are gone, and the Rebels put 42 points up against the Rams last year in El Paso.

Midland High 21, Amarillo High 14: The Bulldogs should win this game, but being on the road for a season opener against a solid club is always reason for concern.

Smithson Valley 25, Odessa Permian 20: Smithson Valley is an interesting team to watch. It has lost 12 starters but has amazing people back in the skill positions.

Arlington Bowie 45, Odessa High 10: Bowie's Volunteers are top-notch, but the real story here is a brutal 1 p.m. starting time at Ratliff. Woe to the winner or loser.

Abilene High 40, El Paso Hanks 14: AHS is lightening the schedule load this year, opening with Hanks instead of Belton. That should translate into a win.

Abilene Cooper 40, Wichita Fallas Rider 28: This may be a little tougher than last year when Cooper beat Rider at home, but the Cougars should still have the weapons to pull this one out.

Area Games

Greenwood 28, Coahoma 22: This is the opening game of the year for the Permian Basin at Grande tonight, and the Rangers find a way to win it again this year.

Seminole 28: Midland Christian 22: This could be the feature game of the first week, and both teams own a lot of offensive firepower. Pick 'em.

Snyder 31, Monahans 28: This is another highly anticipated first weekend matchup, and maybe my Tigers will pull it out on the last play of the game.

Big Spring 24, Fort Stockton 14: The Steers need this win because district play in 5-3A looks to be a brutal passage.